Classic chemotherapy- part 3

Question 1

what is the function of microtubules?

Answer 1

• structural support
• intracellular movement: organelles
• chromosomes seperation during mitosis and meiosis (spindle apparatus)

Question 2

what is microtubule made from?

Answer 2

from tubulin dimers made from alpha and beta tublin

Question 3

what are vinca alkaloids?

Answer 3

natural products that disrupt microtubule assembly.
Bind to free ab-tubulin dimers
• Disruption of balance between polymerisation and depolymerisation
• Dissolution of microtubules, destruction of mitotic spindle

Question 4

what is taxol?

Answer 4

-isolated from the bark of slow growing yew
-Taxol inhibits the disassembly of
microtubules
• Stabilisation of ordinary
microtubules, formation of
abnormal bundles of microtubuli